Setting up your Simon XTi for the First Time

Setting up your alarm system can seem like a major ordeal, but by following the steps below, you can significantly cut down on both the time and hassle involved in this process.

The first thing you will need to do is to mount the sensors for your new system. It is critical to have your sensors mounted correctly, otherwise they will not function properly and may give error messages. Here are a couple of links to help you insure your sensors are mounted correctly.

General Sensor Mounting

If you have additional questions on mounting motion sensors, click here.

Mounting a Sensor on a Door That Opens to the Outside

If you are mounting a sensor on a sliding door, and the door is recessed into the frame, please click here for the best mounting practices.

Now you will need to power on the system. You will need to plug the panel into the wall and wait for it to recognize the battery charge. If it does not find a strong charge in the battery, it will start beeping. If the panel beeps for more than 10 minutes, follow this link to cycle the power and clear the beeping.

Second, if you have cellular monitoring, you will need to find a location that gets strong cell coverage and has no sources of wireless interference (such as a wireless internet router) within 15 feet of the panel. Ideally, you will want 2 bars of signal strength. This video below will help you determine the best location for strong signal strength on your alarm panel.

Next, you will want to mount the unit at the final location. Since the Simon XTi unit normally comes with a desk mount attached, you will need to remove it if you want to mount the panel on the wall. Once the panel is mounted, it may periodically beep. This means that your panel has detected an issue that needs your attention. To check the messages on your panel, press the "Gear Icon" on the home screen. Now press the "Listen" button followed by the "Clear" button. Then hit "Listen" again. The panel will now give you the current issues it is experiencing. Some of the most common issues are sensor failures or tampers.

Once you have taken care of any issues on the panel, there is one final step to verify that everything is working properly. You will need to run a sensor test to confirm that all the sensors are communicating with the panel. Please refer to the video below.

Sensor Test

Now that you have successfully completed the sensor test, you are ready for your testing and training appointment!